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286 <br /> <br />approval of the purchase by Mr. Kuttner. Mr. O'Connell added that the Railway Historical <br />Society has recently expressed an interest in purchasing the coat tower. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Rex,. Edwards, 1Mr. Clyde Gouldman, City Attorney, <br />explained that the cost of the land is between $0.26 and $0.33 per square foot, but is skewed <br />because of the adaptive reuse required and the fact that estimates to remove the coal tower <br />are over $100,000. <br /> <br /> Rev. Edwards said that he thinks that if the city is going to give away land then he <br />would rather give it to someone else who deserves it. Rev. Edwards said he feels the <br />proposed sale is a another form of discrimination and is not fair and not right. <br /> <br /> Mr. Oliver Kuttner, proposed purchaser of the property, noted that half of the property <br />is on a steep slope and that, combined with the city's easement, means that there is no real <br />constructive use of the property. Mr. Kuttner said he will work with the Central Railroad <br />people, and noted that he tried to purchase the property in 1990. <br /> <br />Ms. Daugherty said that she is interested in preserving the coal tower. <br /> <br /> Mr. Kuttner said that if the Central Railroad becomes Viable then the coal tower should <br />be maintained, but if it is not feasible for use by the Railroad, then he will convert the tower <br />into apartments. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty expressed concern about what guarantee the city has that the coal tower <br />be preserved, and Mr. Gouldman replied that the contract requires adaptive reuse of the coal <br />tower. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever asked Ms. Sally Kammoff of Central Railroad if she feels the <br />arrangement with Mr. Kuttner is accepted, and Ms. Kuttner said that the arrangement is <br />acceptable to her, and they have been working together on the possibility of jointly <br />develoPing and acquiring additional CSX property. <br /> <br />Rev. Edwards said he continues to have a problem with the purchase price. <br /> <br /> Mr. Erik Hartwig of the Railway Historical Society, said that the coal tower is a <br />landmark of Charlottesville and offered to buy the property, with the intention of cleaning up <br />the property and trying to restore the building. Mr. Hartwig said the Society would be <br />willing to work with Central Railroad. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty made a motion to table the matter until staff can discuss with the <br />Railway Historic Society a way to preserve the tower and Rev. Edwards seconded the <br />motion. <br /> Mr. Toscano said that he has a problem with delaying the sale since it is the result of a <br />long process with the Charlottesville Industrial Development Authority, and since Mr. <br />Kuttner and Central Railroad have obviously worked out an arrangement as requested by <br />Council at the last meeting. Mr. Toscano added that he thinks the Railway Historical Society <br />could also work Mth Mr. Kuttner. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty said she thinks the Council has a greater responsibility to prese~Te the <br />historic structure. <br /> <br />Rev. Edwards said he thinks the property deserves to be sold at market price. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter said she will vote against tabling the matter since protections for the coal <br />tower have been built into the contract by CIDA and since the parties involved have worked <br />together as requested by Council. Ms. Slaughter said she is reassured that the coal tower will <br />be preserved. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever said he feels reasonable protection for the coal tower exists in the <br />contract, and expressed concern about selling the property to the Rail~vay Historical Society, <br /> <br /> <br />